JP2004348142A - Device and method for operating partial display mode monitoring device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a method for a partial display mode monitoring device which is suitable for the operation of the monitoring device in a partial mode. <P>SOLUTION: Firstly, a memory is so allocated that each pixel has one corresponding memory address among a plurality of memory addresses within the allocated memory. Whether the original pattern on a display screen is updated is detected and judged by using a serial controller. Here, the original pattern is stored in the memory and is comprised of several pixels having the corresponding memory addresses. When the serial controller detects that the original pattern has been updated to a new pattern, the new pattern is compared with the original pattern and the original pattern stored in the corresponding memory address within the memory is replaced with the new pattern. Finally, the new pattern is outputted to the monitoring device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

The present invention relates generally to monitor devices, and more particularly, to a method of operating a partial display mode monitor device.

2. Description of the Related Art Recently, a liquid crystal display (LCD) has been widely used in daily life. 2. Description of the Related Art In various portable electronic products, there is a limit in the power storage capacity of a battery. Therefore, it is important to consider power saving design in product development. Therefore, the power saving performance of an LCD-related module is also one of the important issues in its development. In the prior art, an electronic product is usually set to enter a partial mode as a power saving design of an LCD-related module. During operation in the partial mode, the driving circuit of the LCD is used to continuously update the patterned digital screen data such as an image representing the date, time, power storage index, and the like. Since the patterned digital screen data is stored in the memory of an integrated circuit (IC), there is no need to attach additional associated circuitry to the electronic device. Thus, power consumption is reduced. However, in the partial mode operation in the prior art, all of the patterned digital screen data is updated on the screen, so that the patterned digital screen data that does not need to be updated is repeatedly updated. Consumption occurs. Therefore, reducing this type of unnecessary power consumption can extend the life of the battery.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method of operating a partial display mode monitor device suitable for a monitor operation in a partial mode. In this way, the power consumption caused by repeatedly updating the patterned digital screen data that does not need to be updated in the partial mode can be reduced.

In this new monitor driving method and apparatus, it is determined that pixels should be grouped into patterns (eg, icons or groups of identifiable images) and the corresponding original image data should be changed to a new image data input. Update each pattern performed. The invention is applicable to "static" images, such as icons representing a battery power indicator, a signal strength indicator, an image displaying date and other information or status. These images are of the type that need only be updated each time they become necessary in accordance with changes in the basic state or information displayed by the image pattern.

In one embodiment of the present invention, a method is provided for a partial display mode monitor suitable for operation of the monitor in partial mode. In this operation method, first, a memory is allocated so that pixel data is stored in a memory address corresponding to the pixel data. The serial controller is used to detect and determine whether the original pattern on the display screen has been updated. Here, the original pattern is stored in the memory. Then, when the serial controller detects that the original pattern has been updated to the new pattern, the new pattern is compared with the original pattern and the original pattern stored at the corresponding memory address in the memory is compared. Replaced with a new pattern. Finally, the new pattern is output to the monitor device.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the data controller of the drive circuit compares the new pattern with the original pattern. When the serial controller detects that the original pattern has been updated to the new pattern, the new pattern is sent to the data controller via the timing controller and data latch of the drive circuit. Further, after the data controller compares the new pattern with the original pattern and stores the new pattern at the corresponding memory address, the new pattern is sent to the monitor device via the D / A controller.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the method of operating in the partial display mode can save power because it is possible to avoid power consumption caused by repeatedly updating a pattern that does not need to be updated in the partial mode. Further, power consumption is reduced because the processing of the operation circuit of the electronic device is simplified.

FIG. 1 is a schematic circuit block diagram of the LCD module. The LCD module 100 includes an LCD 102 and a drive circuit 104 (which may be constituted by an ASIC (application specific integrated circuit)). The drive circuit 104 includes a memory 106, a data controller 108, a timing controller and a data latch 110, a D / A controller 112, and a serial controller 114. The LCD 102 is electrically connected to the drive circuit 104.

In one embodiment of the present invention, the digital screen data is supplied to the timing controller and the data latch 110 when the LCD 100 is performing a normal operation. Next, the timing controller and the data latch 110 output the digital screen data to the data controller 108, and the data controller 108 outputs the digital screen data to the D / A controller 112. Finally, the D / A controller 112 outputs the digital screen data to the LCD 102 to form a screen display.

After the operation of the display is set to the partial mode, a read / write operation is performed in the memory 106. Since this operation is the same as the above-described conventional partial mode operation, the description is omitted here.

Unlike conventional systems that repeatedly update patterns that do not need to be updated, causing unnecessary power consumption even during partial mode, the drive module 104 of the present invention extends battery life. Data controller 108 stores the screen data at a predetermined associated memory address in SRAM 106. That is, each pixel of the patterned digital screen data is stored in the memory 106 so as to have one corresponding memory address. In the partial mode, after the digital screen data of the display device is input to the timing controller and the data latch 110, it is detected whether or not the digital screen data, which is the original pattern on the display screen, is updated using the serial controller 114. . When the control signal from the serial controller 114 indicates that the digital screen data as the original pattern has been updated to the new pattern, the digital screen data as the new pattern is transmitted to the timing controller and the data latch 110 of the drive circuit 104. To the data controller 108. The data controller 108 then replaces the original screen digital screen data stored in the memory 106 with the new pattern digital screen data. Further, when the entire display screen needs to be updated, the serial controller 114 sends a set of control signals (a series of control signals) to the timing controller and data latch 110. The timing controller and data latch 110 then inputs a series of control signals to the data controller 108, which writes data for the entire display screen to the memory 106. On the other hand, if only a portion of the patterned digital screen data on the display screen needs to be updated, data controller 108 writes the corresponding patterned digital screen data to the corresponding address in memory 106. . The corresponding patterned digital screen data is then output to the D / A controller 112 and then to the LCD 102. The rest are not updated.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a display of an LCD panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is assumed that the LCD 102 displays a date pattern 204, a signal strength pattern 206, and a battery strength pattern 208, as in a typical mobile phone. FIG. 3 schematically shows a memory map according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Further, in this specification, the pixel data of the date pattern 204 is stored in the memory area 302 (X1Y1), the pixel data of the signal intensity pattern 206 is stored in the memory area 304 (X1Y2), It is assumed that pixel data is stored in the memory area 306 (XnYn). Note that the memory areas 302, 304, and 306 are memory areas set in advance. In the partial mode, after the display screen data composed of the date pattern 204, the signal strength pattern 206, and the battery strength pattern 208 is input to the timing controller and the data latch 110, the serial controller 114 It is detected whether or not these three patterns have been updated. When only the signal strength pattern 206 of these three patterns is changed, the data controller 108 only updates the data stored in the memory address 304, and only updates the data stored in the other memory addresses. Does not update. Finally, the timing controller and the data latch 110 display the data stored in the memory 106 on the monitor device 102 via the D / A controller 112.

In general, the present invention is applicable to the LCD shown in FIG. The LCD 400 includes a display device such as a pixel array 402 for displaying an image of a screen pattern. The pixels of the pixel array 402 for displaying the screen pattern are controlled by the driving circuit 104 as shown in FIG. Further, the present invention can be applied to an electronic device including the LCD 400 and the controller 406. The controller 406 inputs necessary data and necessary control signals to the LCD 400.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a process included in a method of driving an LCD panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 5, the method for controlling a display device comprises the following steps.

At step 500, a memory address is associated with image data for a group of pixels representing a pattern to be displayed on a display screen, and the image data is stored. The image data stored in the memory address is output to a display device so that the pattern can be displayed. In step 502, it is determined whether or not the image data stored at the memory address has been changed with new input image data. In step 504, when it is determined that the already stored image data has been changed with the new input image data, the image data already stored at the memory address is selectively used with the new input image data. Replace.

In summary, the present invention provides an apparatus and method for partial display mode monitor operation suitable for partial mode monitor operation. Since the new screen data is compared with the original screen data before updating the display screen, only the changed data is updated in the operation method according to the present invention. Therefore, in this operation method, it is possible to avoid power consumption caused by repeatedly updating a pattern that does not need to be updated, thereby saving power.

The present invention has been described with reference to the preferred embodiments. It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that modifications of the above-described embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention. Accordingly, the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing detailed description.

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a better understanding of the present invention. These drawings are included in and constitute a part of this specification. The drawings illustrate embodiments of the invention and, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic circuit block diagram of an LCD driving module according to one embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a view illustrating an LCD panel according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a memory map diagram according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an electronic device having an LCD panel with a novel driving module according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a process included in a method of driving an LCD panel according to an embodiment of the present invention.

Claims (15)

A method of operating a monitor device in a partial display mode, wherein the monitor device includes a plurality of pixels and a drive circuit, the drive circuit includes a memory, and the operation method includes:
Allocating a memory area of the memory corresponding to each pixel;
Detecting whether the original pattern on the monitor device has been updated, wherein a serial controller is used for the detection,
When the serial controller determines that the original pattern has been updated to the new pattern stored in the corresponding memory address in the memory, the corresponding original pattern is replaced with the new pattern, and the corresponding new pattern is sent to the monitor device. Outputting,
The method that has.   The method of claim 1, wherein the memory is a static random access memory (SRAM). The method of claim 1, wherein when the serial controller detects that the original pattern has been updated to a new pattern, the new pattern is sent to the data controller via the timing controller and the data latch of the drive circuit.   4. The method according to claim 3, wherein after the data controller compares the new pattern with the original pattern and stores the new pattern at the corresponding memory address, the new corresponding pattern is sent to the monitoring device via the D / A controller. . A display control device for controlling a display device,
A memory address associated with and storing image data for a group of pixels representing a pattern to be displayed on a display screen, wherein the image data stored at the memory address is output to a display device; A memory address where the pattern can be displayed,
It is determined whether or not the image data stored at the memory address has been changed with the new input image data, and if it is determined that the already stored image data has been changed with the new input image data, A data controller for selectively replacing image data already stored at a memory address with new input image data,
An apparatus comprising:   The display control device according to claim 5, wherein the data controller causes the display device to operate in the partial display mode.   The display control device according to claim 5, wherein the data controller includes a timing controller and a data latch.   6. The data controller of claim 5, wherein the data controller compares the new input image data with the already stored image data to determine whether the already stored image data has been changed with the new input image data. Display control device.   The display control device according to claim 5, further comprising a data output controller that outputs the image data stored in the memory address.   The display control device according to claim 9, wherein the data output controller comprises a D / A controller.   A plurality of memory addresses, each of which is associated with and stores image data for a group of pixels representing a different pattern to be displayed in a display screen, wherein the stored image is 9. The display control device according to claim 8, further comprising a memory address at which the data is output to the display device so that the pattern can be displayed.   The data controller determines, for each of the different patterns, whether the image data stored at the associated memory address has been changed with the new input image data, and the image data already stored is replaced with the new input image data. 12. The display control device according to claim 11, wherein for a pattern determined to have been changed in the input image data, the image data already stored in the memory address is selectively replaced with new input image data. A display device;
A display control device according to claim 5, which controls the display device;
A display device (display) comprising: A display device (display) according to claim 13,
A controller for supplying input image data to the display device (display);
An electronic device comprising: A method for controlling a display device, comprising:
Associating a memory address with image data for a group of pixels representing a pattern to be displayed in a display screen and storing the image data, wherein the image data stored in the memory address is a display device A step that can be output to and display the pattern;
Determining whether the image data stored at the memory address has been changed with the new input image data,
When it is determined that the already stored image data has been changed by the new input image data, selectively replacing the image data already stored at the memory address with the new input image data; ,
The method that has.